Breaking the Heartland: The Civil War in Georgia

The Civil War was the watershed event in U.S. history, forever changing the nature of the Republic and the relationship of individuals to their government. Few states had a greater impact than Georgia. Georgia provided 125,000 soldiers for the Confederacy and was vital because of its agricultural and industrial output. Moreover, the state was critical to the Southern infrastructure because of the river and rail links that crossed it and connected the western Confederacy to the eastern half. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the war was arguably decided in North Georgia with the Atlanta Campaign and Lincoln’s subsequent reelection. Despite the state’s importance to the Confederacy, not enough has been written concerning Georgia’s experience during those turbulent years. The essays in this volume present a mosaic of events, places, and people, exploring the impact of the war on Georgia and its residents and demonstrating the importance of the state to the outcome of the Civil War.